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Foner's uncle Philip was an historian and Communist Party member. Philip Foner lost his job because of his party ties, and is now after his death, the subject of investigations for plagiarism. Eric's father Jack also leaned towards the party and was blacklisted (Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal of Hollywood fame are Eric's ex-wife's kids). Consequently it's not surprising Eric Foner thinks as he does.

Coolidge isn't thought of all that badly by historians. Corruption certainly isn't the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of Calvin Coolidge. So far as I know, his administration was clean. Foner and other liberal historians are trying to draw a parallel between Pierce and Buchanan in the 19th century and Harding and Coolidge in the 20th century as "do nothing" President who let the country slide into crisis -- Civil War or Great Depression -- but it's not really a fair rap.

James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson are the victims of changing ideas of racial justice or political correctness. Polk was certainly a competent President, who achieved what he set out to do, and Johnson surely did defend the prerogatives of the Presidency, whatever one thinks of their ideas about territorial expansion, race, or White rule.

One might do better comparing Bush to Woodrow Wilson. Both men may have bit off more than they could chew, but their actions had more to do with democratic idealism than with land hunger or national self-assertiveness.